Rep. John Graham Altman has drawn the nation's attention to South Carolina after making on-camera remarks that fellow Republican Gov. Mark Sanford termed insensitive and bizarre.

Altman's remarks about cockfighting and battered women were scrolling Thursday across the bottom of cable television news shows and making the rounds online. They had some officials worried about the state's image, recalling events like the fight over the Confederate battle flag and the anonymous "Men's Caucus" memo that emerged from the state House of Representatives in 2002, which urged female pages to wear skimpy attire. That episode led House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Charleston, to call for sensitivity training, which Altman declined to attend.

On Tuesday, the Charleston Republican ignited his latest controversy with remarks to a WIS-TV reporter in Columbia.

"I do not understand why women continue to go back around men who abuse them," Altman told the female reporter. "I've asked women that and they all tell me the same answer, 'John Graham, you don't understand.' And I say you're right, I don't understand."

The interview came after the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill making cockfighting a felony but tabled one making second-offense criminal domestic violence a felony.

"The woman (who is abused) ought to not be around the man," Altman said in the interview. "I mean, you women want it one way and not another."

Sanford called Altman's remarks insensitive Thursday, ing the legislator used poor judgment. And he said the handling of two legislative bills that sparked Altman's remarks could send a poor message about South Carolina to the rest of the nation.

"I'd say (Altman's remarks) were a lot more than a little over the top. They were bizarre," Sanford said.

The remarks were "totally inappropriate. It does send a terrible message. I hope one interview won't tarnish the hard work of the General Assembly on criminal domestic violence," Wilkins said Thursday, pointing to a series of recently passed "stricter and stricter" laws on the issue and saying the current bill would be improved and passed too.

"Everyone understands it's a serious problem in South Carolina," he said. "For anyone to imply that chicken fighting is more important than women being abused is absurd. It borders on frivolity."

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, stood up for Altman's right to say what he said, though he disgrees with it.

"I think we've gotten so super-sensitive in the media that it frankly kills free speech," he said. "I would hate to see people stop speaking their minds."

"The fact that he expresses his opinion honestly is what John Graham Altman is all about. I guess that's what makes this country so rich and diverse, that everybody is free to express their opinion."

Jack Bass, a state politics expert at the College of Charleston, said Altman's gaffe feeds a "there they go again" reaction.

"It tends to invite a certain amount of ridicule," particularly among commentators who play up government outrages, he said.

MARY ANN CHASTAIN/AP More than 100 students from Columbia College rallied at the Statehouse on Thursday against Charleston GOP lawmaker John Gram Altman for his comments on domestic violence.

Altman, who worked as a press secretary for Fritz Hollings when he was governor, seems to deliberately use outrageous language to attract attention, Bass said. "And sometimes it backfires on him."

Protesters in several South Carolina cities, including Columbia and Charleston, lambasted Altman.

In Charleston, domestic violence victim and advocate Mary Chase addressed Altman's comments during People Against Rape's 20th annual Take Back The Night.

"You said women want to punish men. You're right. We do," Chase said. "We truly want to punish men who rape and beat us."

Cecile Gussack attended the rally to show her support of domestic violence law reform.

"Cockfighting is not more important than women," said the College of Charleston student. "We need to educate men. That's when domestic violence will end."

Chase said she was a victim who went back for reasons both she and Altman will never understand. But he is out of line for judging her one way or the other.

Chase said the comments Altman made in the interview were crazy.

"Don't let anyone, including yourself, and maybe John Altman, tell you you can't do it," she said. "Fight."

CONTACT INFORMATION

-- To reach Rep. Altman, call (803) 734-2947

-- To reach the House Judiciary Committee, call 803-734-3120.

-- To get help with an abusive situation, call 744-3242 or 1-800-273-HOPE.

-- To contact Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, who co-sponsored the original domestic violence bill, call (803) 734-2809.

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Phillip Caston and Andre Bowser contributed to this story.